Page 40 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2020- Lubbock Online Magazine
P. 40
HONORING
SMALL BUSINESSES
88 Years Old
and Going Strong
W. D. Wilkins Furniture
by Ashley Warren
2204 Ave. G
to sell his items quickly, and thus In 1961, W.D. Wilkins sold his
economically, before the soot below business to his son, T.O. Wilkins,
sullied his furniture. and son-in-law, Bill Warren, and
W.D. Wilkins they formed W.D. Wilkins and
The business grew, and Wilkins Company as a partnership based in
hired a builder to construct a more the Avenue G location (present-day
.D. Wilkins Furniture, a spacious location at 2204 Avenue G. Crickets Ave).
locally owned, fourth- Wilkins decided to put the majority
Wgeneration family of his profits back into the business In 1968, T.O. Wilkins and Bill
business, is celebrating its 88th by reinvesting it in more inventory. Warren divided their partnership.
anniversary in 2020. Wilkins kept the jewelry and gifts
The business flourished in the 1950s, division, while Bill and Sarah Jane
W.D. Wilkins (1901-1987) started when the post-WWII generation Wilkins Warren (W.D.’s daughter)
his Lubbock business in the loft started families and furnished retained the furniture division.
of a blacksmith’s shop located homes. Simultaneously, Lubbock
at 2209 Avenue H. It was here and Texas Tech grew, and farming, Coinciding with another prosperous
where his business philosophy along with the oil and gas business, era in furniture, when many baby
originated, as he realized he needed produced profits. boomers settled and bought homes,
40 Lubbock Senior Link
